The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has commissioned the 229 hybrid solar powered streetlights it flagged off its installation in Bane Community a month and two weeks ago.
Rivers State Representative in the NDDC Management Board Tony Okocha had at the flag-off ceremony promised that the project would be delivered on time as it was part of the immortalization of the late Ogoni Activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa who was gruesomely executed by the regime of Sani Abacha.
With the commissioning, the project which is in line with the “OperationLight Up Niger Delta” embarked upon by the 7th NDDC Governing Board, Bane Community which was hitherto in stark darkness, has been illuminated to the extent that night now resembles daytime, with buying and selling going on in the community market even after 9PM.
Addressing the huge crowd who gathered at the Ken Saro-Wiwa Memorial Park, venue of the commissioning, the Rivers State Representative in the NDDC Management Board, Chief Tony Okocha said he had to abandon his tight schedule of duties to come for the commissioning because it was part of the immortalization of Late Ken Saro-Wiwa, the renowned Ogoni activist.
Okocha thanked the 7th NDDC Management Board led by Barr. Chiedu Ebie for rewriting the history of NDDC which was hitherto viewed as a cash cow to a vibrant interventionist agency that is attracting huge people- oriented projects to the people of the Niger Delta.
He also commended Bane Community for their support and cooperation with the contractor handling the project which resulted in what he called record breaking speedy completion of the project.
According to Okocha: “The project will provide economic value to the community as can be evidenced by the commercial activities going on in the community market as at 9pm in the night.” He further posited that it would reduce criminal activities in the community and provide ecstatic night view. He reassured the people that the NDDC will soon commence the Road project in the community.
The Secretary of Bane Community Development Committee (CDC), Felix Gbanakor Nwuyorbani expressed appreciation to the NDDC for remembering Bane Community after many years of neglect, even when one of their own was in the Commission. He showered encomiums on Okocha, the Rivers State Representative on the NDDC Board, who he referred to as a friend of Bane Community for making the project possible, while pleading with the NDDC to commence the Road project.
Other Ogoni leaders who spoke in appreciation of the NDDC’s good gesture in Bane Community, included, an Ogoni activist, Celestine AkpoBari, former Deputy Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, RT. Hon. Bafile Nwile and a host of others.
